Machine for separating shoes from lasts



P 1 940. c. A. ROBINSON 2,213,229

MACHINE FOR SEPARATING SHOES FROM LASTS- Filed July 19, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet l Figrl.

0 m4 M6 69 J4 MU Sept. 3, 1940. c. A. ROBINSON 2,213,229

MACHINE FOR SEPARATING SHOES FROM LA STS Filed July 19, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 WI/EA/TU/ Mggw y d l Lr P 3, 1940. c. A. ROBINSON 2,213,229

MACHINE FOR SEPARATING SHOES FROM LASTS Filed July 19, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 3, .1940. c. A. ROBINSON MACHINE FOR SEPARATING SHOES FROM LASTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 19, 1938 iii) Patented Sept. 3, 1940 Ul lll' fi STATES nane PATENT FEEQE MACHINE FOR SEPARATING SHOES FROM LASTS of Flemington, N. .l

Jersey a corporation of New Application July 19, 1938, Serial No. 220,044

9 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for separating shoes from. lasts and is herein disclosed as embodied in a treadle-operated machine of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,139,658 granted December 13, 1938 upon the application of Earl A. Bessom. The illustrated machine, like that disclosed in the above-mentioned Letters Patent, is provided with a shoeremoving tool mounted upon a carrier which, in turn, is pivotally mounted for heightwise movement upon an arm which is free to swing forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the last. The tool is operated by a rod which is pivotally connected to the carrier and which is urged in a direction having a lengthwise and a heightwise component with respect to the last to cause the shoe-removing tool to move forwardly from an inoperative to an operative position and then to perform a heightwise operative movement against the shoe to raise the rear portion of the shoe from the last. In the machine disclosed in the abovementioned application the forward component exerted upon the shoe-removing tool depends entirely upon the weight of the moving parts inasmuch as the tool is free to move both heightwise and forwardly.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved machine of the type under consideration. in accordance with a feature of the invention there is provided means acting directly upon the swinging arm to urge the arm about its pivotal support in a direction to assist the forward movement of the shoe-removing tool. This additional means thus serves to increase the total forward component acting upon the tool relatively to the heightwise component. This renders it possible to lighten considerably the weight of some of the moving parts of the illustrated machine, for example by making the tool carrier of aluminum rather than of steel, and thereby calls for less effort on the part of the operator in lifting these parts to cause the tool to perform its operative movement of raising the heel portion of the shoe from the last. In the illustrated ma- 7 chine the means under consideration comprises a spring interposed between an operating lever and the swinging arm.

In accordance with a further feature the illustrated machine is provided with positive means for holding the shoe-removing tool against heightwise movement to insure that the tool will move forwardly from an inoperative to an operative position. The illustrated machine is further provided with means operated the tool upon arrest of the forward movement, for releasing the holding means to enable the tool to perform an operative movement heightwise relatively to the lost. This holding means as illustrated comprises a pair of latch members which when engaged are relatively movable lengthwise but not (Cl. 12l5.1)

heightwise of the last to enable the tool to move forwardly while preventing the tool from moving heightwise.

The illustrated machine may be provided with a shoe-separating tool of the type disclosed in the above-mentioned Letters Patent, 1. e., a rubber pad which frictionally engages, 1e heel end of the shoe. A tool of this character is desirable in operating upon many types of shoes, particularly in high grade work. The illustrated machine may, however, be provided with a different type of tool, namely a tool which bears forwardly against the rear surface of the last and upwardly against the edge of the heel end of the shoe. This form of tool can be employed without damage upon many varieties of shoes and in certain cases is even preferable to the rubber pad above men tioned;

These and other features of the invention will be described as embodied in the illustrated machine and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings,

Fig. l is a side elevation of the improved machine;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the machine;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged showing of the shoeengaging instrumentalities;

Fig. 4* is a plan view showing the machine as provided with an alternative form of shoe-removing tool;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation illustrating the operation of the machine; and

Fig. 6 is a side elevation illustrating the operation of the machine when provided with the alternative form of shoe-removing tool shown in Fig. 4.

The supporting structure or frame of the machine comprises a base ill (Fig. 1) from which extends upwardly a column E2 carrying at its upper portion a head Hi secured to the column it by a strap-like clamping member l6 and screws it. A last pin Zll for supporting a last L in inverted position is carried upon the upper end of a slide 22 which is guided for heightwise movement in a guideway formed in the head 56, the last L- being within a shoe S. The slide 2?. is retained in its guideway by a block 2 (Fig. 3) secured to the head It by a screw 25 extending through a vertical slot 25 in the block 24 and through a vertical slot 2i in the slide The block B l has an inwardly extending tongue 29 which passes through the slot .21 and bears against the bottom of the above-mentioned guideway to space the block 2- 5 to provide running clearance for the slide 22. Formed on the slide 22 are rack teeth 28 which are engaged by a pinion formed upon the end of a spindle 32. A hand wheel 34 (Fig. 2) upon the end of the spindle 32 is provided for enabling the operator to raise and lower the 5g last pin 28 to a desired position of heightwise adjustment. A spring-pressed detent 33 (Fig. 3) holds the slide 22 in adjusted position. A plate 38 secured by a screw ii) to a side of the block 28 has formed in it a slot which engages an annular recess in the toothed portion of the pinion 88 and adjacent to the end of the pinion thereby retaining the pinion and the spindle 32 against axial movement.

A shoe-removing tool 52 is secured by screws 44 to a slide 16. The tool 42 consists of a plate of fibre having a fiat upper surface 63 and a concave forward surface 5!) shaped to engage and to conform approximately to the shape of the heel end of a last. The upper surface 58 adjacent to the edge of the surface till is adapted to engage the edge of a shoe upper at the heel end of the shoe to raise the shoe from the last. The slide 45 has a beveled extension 52 for supporting the tool 42, the extension 52 being set back slightly from the surface 58 to clear the last. The slide 56 is retained in a carrier 58 by a cover plate 56, and is free to move forwardly and rearwardly, its forward movement being limited by a pair of stop lugs 58 (Fig. 4) formed on the carrier 54 and its rearward movement being limited by a surface til formed the carrier and engageable with the rear edge 62 of the slide 46. Fulcrumed in the carrier at by a pin is a bell crank having a laterally extending arm 53 and a rearwardly extending tail 68. Interposed between the arm 66 and a portion of the carrier fi l is a compression spring I8 which urges the arm 6: against the rear edge 62 of the slide 46 and normally maintains the slide 45 in its forward limiting position. The slide 46 is free also for limited lateral movement and is centered laterally by a pair of spring-pressed plungers i2 mounted in opposite sides of the carrier 5 and engaging the opposite sides of the slide 45.

The carrier 54, which may be of aluminum to lighten its weight, is U-shaped, having a pair of forwardly extending arms '14 the forward ends of which are pivotally connected by pins I6 to a pair of parallel L-sha-ped arms I8. The lower ends of the arms l8 are secured upon a pin 88 which is journaled for pivotal movement of the arms '78 in bearings 82 formed in a lower portion of the head M. Secured upon the pin 88 is a bracket 8% (Fig. 2) an upwardly extending portion 86 of which is secured by screws 88 to the arms l8, binding the arms together in a unitary structure. Threaded through the portion 86 is a stop screw 95 which is engageable with a flange 92 (Fig. 1) formed on a bracket 93 secured to the head Hi to limit the rearward movement of the arms '18. Threaded through a downwardly extending portion 94 of the bracket 86 is a stop screw 96 which is engageable with a flange 98 formed on the bracket 93 to limit forward swinging movement of the arms 18.

Fulcrumed upon a pair of pins Hill in a downwardly extending portion of the head I4 is a yoke-shaped lever it?! the forward end of which is connected by a link I04 to a treadle I86 which is fulcrumed in the base I8. A turnbuckle I05 in the link it! enables the length of the link to be adjusted. The lever I82 has a pair of paral-' lel upwardly inclined rearward extensions I88 in each of which is formed a series of holes III] for receiving a pin H2 which pivotally connects the lower end of a rod H4 to the extension I88. The rods H are pivotallyconnected at their upper ends to the arms if respectively of the carrier 54. A tension spring H6 secured to the rear portion of the lever I [I2 and anchored in the base II) maintains the treadle I86 in its uppermost position and holds the arms 18 rearwardly. It will be observed that the rods H4 extend upwardly and forwardly from the extensions I88 to the arms 14. This inclination may be varied by changing the pins I82 in the holes H0.

One of the pins H2 is diametrically bored to receive a rod M8 the upper end of which is pivotally secured to one of the arms 18. The rod H8 slides freely through the pin H2, the thrust which it exerts upon the arm it being yieldingly transm' ted through a compression spring H9 which surrounds the lower portion of the rod I I3 and which is interposed between the pin H2 and a collar 228 secured to the rod i 58.

The carrier is provided with a bearing member I22 which normally supports the rear portion of the carrier i l by resting upon a support comprising a table !26 upon which is secured a leather pad I28 for cushioning a fibre bearing plate The bearing member E22 extends laterally and is secured to the carrier 54 by bolts positioned beyond the lateral edges of the table tilt. The bearing menber i122 normally engages the plate I30, and the table I 26 is yieldingly supported by a compression spring I32 (Fig. 5) housed in a socket formed in a downwardly extending stem of the table. guided for heightwise movement in a bracket I36 which is secured to the head I l. A shoulder screw I88 extending through an opening in the table l28 limits heightwise movement of the table and prevents the table from turning about the axis of the stem 53- A latch (Fig. 3) having an inclined surface I l-i and an under surface 542 which is slidingly engageable with the upper surface of the tall 68 is guided for hcightwise movement in a guideway I43 formed in a block 5M. A clamping screw i i-6 secures the latch M8 to the block M6 in any desired position of heightwise adjustment. The block M l is slidably mounted for lateral adjustment in a guideway Mt formed in the bracket I36. A lamping screw i5tl secures the block M4 in any desired position of lateral adjustment.

Secured upon each of the forwardly extending arms M is a plate 452 having several grooves. In a boss Hit in each of the L-shaped arms 13 is mounted a spring-pressed plung which, when the carrier 53 is raised to a suficient height, will engage in one of the above menti .ied grooves and temporarily support the carrier 5?: for a purpose later to be explained.

In the operation of the machine as so far described the last L with the shoe S thereon is mounted in inverted position upon the last pin and the treadle M18 is depressed by the operator. The upward thrust of the rods lI l tends to force the carrier 56 both forwardly and upwardly. Upward movement of the carrier, however, is pre-- vented by the tail 88 which is in engagement with the latch I48. The carrier therefore is constrained to move forwardly, which it is enabled to do by reason of the fact that the arms T8 are free to swing forwardly about the pin 80. This forward movement is assisted by the rod Ilil which under the influence of the spring H9 yieldingly urges the arms ":8 forward. It will be noted that the rod H8 transmits its thrust directly into one of the arms i3 and therefore avoids an excessive upward thrust in the carrier which might cause excessive friction between the tail 68 and the latch I40. The relation between The stem IBQ is The friction of the shoe against the last will then,

the forward and heightwise components of thrust exerted upon the carrier may be varied by shifting the pin H2 from one to another of the holes Mil, the forward component being increased relatively when the pin H2 is shifted rearwardly and being diminished relatively when the pin is shifted forwardly. The carrier continues to move forwardly until the concave sur-' face 56 of the shoe-removing tool d2 comes into engagement with the heel end of the last 1. Forward movement of the slide 55 is thereby arrested but the carrier continues to move forward a slight distance until the surface 5% comes into engagement with the rear edge 62 of the slide 56. This relative movement between the carrier and the slide rocks the arm 68 and the tail $8 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4, thereby releasing the tall 53 from the latch Hit and enabling the carrier to rise. Continued depression of the treadle will cause the shoe-removing tool 52 acting against the edge of the heel portion of the shoe upper to raise the rear portion of the shoe relatively to the last. The effort of the operator is expended chiefly in overcoming the resistance of the shoe, only a slight additional presssure being required to raise the lightweight aluminum carrier previously mentioned. The operator will ordinarily assist the movement of the shoe in the case of a hinged last by bearing down upon the bottom of the forepart of the shoe with his right hand to break the last. He may at the same time grasp the heel end of the shoe with his left hand and assist the shoe-removing tool in raising the heel end of the shoe. As soon as the heel end of the shoe has cleared the last the shoe may easily be removed by hand and the last may be removed from the last pin. While a stop may be provided for the downward movement of its treadle, it is usually convenient to let the treadle hit the floor. The turnbuckle 565 may be adjusted to give the desired extent of movement of the carrier 55. Upon release of the treadle the various parts will return to their initial positions. It may be noted that in its return movement the tail 68 will engage the inclined surface Hill of the latch idil until it reaches the undercut surface H32, whereupon it will snap into latching position.

In the modified form of shoe-removing tool shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the tool consists of a U-shaped rubber pad 58 secured to the slide 46 and extending forwardly beyond the forward edge of the slide. The pad i523 is vulcanized upon a metal core tit which, in turn, is secured to the slide. The pad H58 yieldingly and frictionally engages the heel end of the shoe upper. It will be observed that depression of the treadle causes the forward but not the heightwise component of thrust of the rod 5 it to be transmitted to the tool R58. Both components from the rods lid are transmitted, however, because of the direct connection of the rods HM to the carrier 5d. The total forward component acting upon the tool 153 is therefore relatively great, and is sufficient in relation to the heightwise component to prevent the tool from slipping on the shoe. The exact relation between the two components may be varied, as has already been explained, by shifting the pins 5 #2 in the holes Mil. When the machine is provided with a shoe-removing tool in the form of a rubber pad, such as the pad (58, it is important to arrange the pins H2 so as to obtain just enough but notmuch more than enough forward presssure to prevent slipping and to insure a frictional grip upon the shoe be at a minimum and the heel end of the shoe may be raised without excessive effort.

The operation of the machine when provided with this form of shoe-removing tool is substantially the same as above described excepting that the tool E58, after the rear portion of the shoe has been raised from the last, may be further employed to push the shoe forwardly with respect to the last. The forward component of thrust in the rods I I4 and in the rod .1 [8 will cause this additional forward movement to take place automatically as soon as the rear portion of the shoe has cleared the last. In case the operator should not remove the last from the last pin before releasing the treadle, it is desirable-to have the shoeremoving tool clear the last in its return movement. This is insured by the latching of the spring-pressed detent H56 which temporarily supports the carrier until the last has been cleared. The sudden arrest of the arms 78 in their rearward movement by reason of the engagement of the stop screw with the flange 52 will unlatch the detent and enable the carrier to fall into its initial position. The spring I32 will absorb the shock of the carrier as the bearing member 522 comes into engagement with the fibre plate 530.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A machine for separating shoes from lasts, comprising a support for a. last with a shoe thereon, a shoe-removing tool constructed and arranged to move the rear portion of the shoe heightwise relatively to the last, a carrier for said shoe-removing tool, an arm upon which said carrier is pivotally mounted, a pivotal support for said arm, a rod pivotally connected to said carrier, means for urging said rod in a direction having a lengthwise and a heightwise component with respect to the last to cause the shoe-removing tool to move forwardly from an inoperative to an operative position and then to perform a heightwise operative movement against the shoe toraise the rear portion of the shoe from the last, and means acting directly upon said arm to urge the arm about said pivotal support in a direction to assist the forward movement of said tool.

2. A machine for separating shoes from lasts, comprising a support for a last with a shoe thereon, a shoe-removing tool constructed and arranged to move the rear portion of the shoe heightwise relatively to the last, a carrier for said shoe-removing tool, an arm upon which said carrier is pivotally mounted, a pivotal support for said an operating lever, a rod extending forwardly and heightwise with respect to said last, said rod being pivotally connected at its lower end to said operating lever and at its upper end to said carrier, means for swinging said operating lever in .a direction to transmit through said rod a thrust urging said carrier to move forwardly from an inoperative to an operative position and heightwise to cause the tool to raise the rear portion of the shoe from the last, and a spring interposed between said operating lever and said arm to urge the arm about said pivotal support in a direction to assist the forward movement of said carrier.

3. A machine for separating shoes from lasts, comprising a support for a last with a shoe thereon, a shoe-removing tool constructed and arranged to move the rear portion of the shoe heightwise relatively to the last, a carrier for said shoe-removing tool, an arm upon which said carrier is pivotally mounted for heightwise swinging movement of said tool relatively to the last, a pivotal support upon which said arm is mounted for forward swinging movement of said carrier relatively to the last, an operating lever, a positive connection for transmitting from said lever to said carrier a force having a component directed forwardly relatively to the last to urge the carrier forwardly from an inoperative to an operative position while said arm swings forwardly about said pivotal support, said force having also a component directed heightwise relatively to the last to urge the carrier heightwise about the pivotal connection of the carrier to said arm while said tool is in operative engage ment with the heel end of the shoe to raise the rear portion of the shoe from the last, and a yielding connection for transmitting from said operating lever to said arm a force urging the arm forwardly about said pivotal support to assist in moving the carrier forwardly to bring the tool into operating position. I

4. A machine for separating shoes from lasts, comprising a support for a last with a shoe thereon, a shoe-removing tool constructed and arranged to move the rear portion of the shoe heightwise relatively to the last, means for exerting upon said shoe-removing tool a force having components directed forwardly and heightwlse relatively to the last, means for holding said tool positively against heightwise movement to insure that said tool will move forwardly from an inoperative to an operative position under the influence of said force, and means operated by said tool upon arrest of the forward movement of said tool for releasing said holding means to enable said tool to perform an operative movement heightwise relatively to the last.

5. A machine for separating shoes from lasts, comprising a support for a last with a shoe thereon, a shoe-removing tool constructed and arranged to move the rear portion of the shoe heightwise relatively to the last, means for exerting upon said shoe-removing tool a force having components directed forwardly and heightwise relatively to the last, a relatively stationary latch member, a latch member connected to said shoeremoving tool for movement therewith, said latch members when engaged being relatively movable lengthwise but not heightwise of the last to enable said tool to move forwardly from an inoperative to an operative position under the influence of said force while preventing said tool from moving heightwise, and means operated by said tool upon arrest of the forward movement of said tool for disengaging said latch members to release said tool to a heightwise operative movement under the influence of said force.

6. A machine for separating shoes from lasts, comprising a support for a last with a shoe thereon, a shoe-removing tool constructed and arranged to move the rear portion of the shoe heightwise relatively to the last, a carrier in which said tool is mounted for limited forward and rearward movement relatively to the last, means for exerting upon said carrier a force having components directed forwardly and heightwise relatively to the last, a relatively stationary latch member, a latch member mounted upon said carrier for movement therewith, said latch members when engaged being relatively movable lengthwise but not heightwise of the last to enable said carrier to move forwardly from an inoperative to an operative position under the influence of said force while preventing said carrier from moving heightwise, and means operated by said tool upon arrest of the forward movement of said tool for disengaging said latch members to release said carrier to a heightwise operative movement under the influence of said force.

7. A machine for separating shoes from lasts, comprising a support for a last with a shoe thereon, a shoe-removing tool constructed and arranged to move the rear portion of the shoe heightwise relatively to the last, a carrier in which said tool is mounted for limited forward and rearward movement relatively to the last, a spring urging said tool forwardly in relation to said carrier, means for exerting upon said carrier a force having components directed forwardly and heightwise relatively to the last, a relatively stationary latch member, a bell crank fulcrumed on said carrier and having a rearwardly extending arm engageable with said latch member to prevent heightwise movement of the carrier while leaving the carrier free to move forwardly from an inoperative to an operative position under the influence of said force, said bell crank having also a laterally extending arm which upon arrest of the forward movement of said tool is rocked by said tool to disengage said rearwardly extending arm from said latch member and thereby to release said carrier to a heightwise operative movement under the influence of said force.

8. A machine for separating shoes from lasts, comprising a support for a last with a shoe thereon, a shoe-removing tool constructed and arranged for engagement with the heel end of the last and with the edge of the upper at the heel end of the shoe, means for exerting upon said shoe-removing tool a force having components directed forwardly and heightwise relatively to the last, means for holding said tool against heightwise movement to insure that said tool will move forwardly from an inoperative to an operative position under the influence of said force, and means operated by said tool upon the arrest of the forward movement of the tool by engagement with the last for releasing said holding means to enable said tool to move heightwise against the edge of the upper at the heel end of the shoe to move the rear portion of the shoe heightwise relatively to the last.

9. A machine for separating shoes from lasts comprising a support for a last with a shoe thereon, a shoe-removing tool constructed and arranged for frictional engagement with the upper at the heel end of the shoe, means for exerting upon said shoe-removing tool a force having components directed forwardly and heightwise relatively to the last, means for holding said tool against heightwise movement to in sure that said tool will move forwardly from an inoperative to an operative position in frictional engagement with the shoe under the influence of said force, and means operated by said tool upon the arrest of the forward movement of the tool by engagement with the shoe for releasing said holding means to enable said tool to move heightwise in frictional engagement with the shoe to move the rear portion of the shoe heightwise relatively to the last.

CHARLES A. ROBINSON. 

